He always came back
by The Red Fedora
Summary: Spoilers for the season 4 finale: the Last Stand. What if there was another reason for the kiss? Would Michael really let them take him with the list?


Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Burn Notice. I am just borrowing them for the story. Wish I could keep Michael…Fi is a lucky woman.

Author's Notes: Spoiler for the finale of Season 4 entitled _The Last Stand_. Inspired by the kiss with the thought that while we all know Michael loves Fi, and hours before they had nearly died together at their own hands, the kiss seemed to serve a bit more of a purpose than simply to say goodbye to Fi. Do you really think that he would have let them take him and the list?

Fiona smiled wearily as she watched Michael and Jesse banter. She exchanged a brief look with Sam as Jesse palmed the list back to Michael under the guise of a handshake. The small item had resulted in too many deaths already….and had nearly resulted in Jesse's, Michael's and her own mere hours earlier. Her body ached both from the battle with Vaughn's men and from the lack of sleep over the past couple of days. She felt dead on her feet with little more energy left than enough to get her home and into bed. Or back to Michael's loft. The rest of the team didn't look much better, Maddy included, but they were alive and the list was safe for the moment. That was all that mattered and it was enough for now.

She watched as Michael stepped back to her side and the medic injected Jesse with the pain killer, the relief on her friend's face nearly immediate. Jesse exchanged a sleepy smile with Fi as the medic began preparations to move him to the hospital.

Then came the voices.

_We just have a couple of questions for you._

She didn't recognize the men but the tone and the words were the same. She folded her arms across her chest as she moved as one with Sam to flank Michael as he turned to face them. Government types….but whom? Out of the corner of her eye she saw Sam share a look with Michael. Her body felt numb as her heart sank. This was always how it seemed to end. Would they ever get a break? She dropped her eyes, lacking the energy to meet the gaze she could feel on her, afraid of what she would see. She felt the warmth of Michael's body against her side as he moved closer to her. Her arms remained crossed against her chest. She was too tired to fight. Finally she turned head and her eyes met his.

The emotion in Michael's eyes warmed some of the aching cold that gripped her heart. She let her eyes drifted close as she felt his fingertips ghost over her arms, curling around her elbow, and his warm lips settle against hers. His kiss was soft, careful. Fi frowned slightly in confusion as she felt him brush the knuckles of his right hand against her lower back. Then she felt him discretely slip the thumb drive into the waistband of her cargo pants. He brushed his finger tips against her soft skin before sliding his hand to rest on her hip.

This was it then. After all they had been through. A brief thought crossed her mind that he might not make it back this time. As if he could read what she was thinking, Michael tightened his fingers around her arm and deepened the kiss. Any doubt she had vanished with the intensity of the emotion she felt him poured into it. She registered a finality of sorts in his kiss, as if he were making this one count. He was going to go with them and he was asking her to let him go. And then all too soon he was pulled away. His eyes met and held her gaze as he allowed the suits to lead him away. _I love you and I'll be back. I promise._

Fi's vision blurred as she watched him disappear into an unmarked sedan and then watched as the sedan disappeared into the night. She felt Sam's arm wrap around her shoulders and she allowed him to pull her into a hug.

"We'll get him back, Fi." She heard him whisper.

She pressed her face against her friend's shoulder using it to hide the tears that had escaped her tight control. There would be time to break down later, but not now. She could feel the list pressing against the small of her back. They had to keep it safe. The job wasn't over yet. She sighed and pulled away from Sam as she heard Maddy join them.

They had to press on. He would be back.

He always came back.


End file.
